This document provides an overview of innovative ESL programs nationwide and identifies best practices. It describes three exemplary programs: 1) Hotel T.E.A.C.H. in New York, which integrates ESL, soft skills, and technology training for immigrants working in hotels; 2) Cell-Ed in New York, an affordable mobile ESL program with high completion and language gains rates; and 3) The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, which offers contextualized ESL and pathways to careers like nursing. Strong programs typically assess language skills before and after, and teach beyond life skills to develop critical thinking and academic language.

1. 1
Michigan Office for New Americans
A Division of the
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Adult ESL for New Americans
Request for Proposals
Posting Date: 10/17/16
Closing Date: 11/11/16

2. 2
Adult ESL for New Americans
A Grant Program of the Michigan Office for New Americans
Request for Proposals
Application Deadline: Friday, November 11th, 2016
The Michigan Office for New Americans (MONA) announces the availability of grant funds to support
the development of innovative and collaborative English as a Second Language (ESL) programming
efforts in Michigan. MONA was established by Governor Rick Snyder in 2014 to help grow Michigan’s
economy by retaining and attracting global talent to our state and promoting the skills, energy, and
entrepreneurial spirit of our immigrant communities. MONA works with state agencies that provide
services to immigrants; provides immigration-related information to the governor; and strives to
create a more welcoming environment within the state. The office also helps coordinate existing
services to immigrants and facilitates partnerships with non-profits, foundations and the private
sector in the areas of licensing, workforce training, education, housing, healthcare and quality of life.
Background: The Adult ESL for New Americans grant initiative has been developed as a response to
the requests of MONA’s many community partner organizations for additional support in the delivery
of ESL programming for existing and newly-arriving immigrant communities across Michigan. The
grant initiative also seeks to support collaborative work among nontraditional partners in the delivery
of innovative ESL programming that is better able to meet the varied needs of Michigan’s diverse
immigrant community.
Target Audience: New Americans with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), including Green Card
holders, Refugees, Asylees, and Asylum Applicants. [NOTE: This program is not for temporary
visitors or non-immigrants on temporary status in the U.S.]
Impact: The Adult ESL for New Americans grant initiative seeks to provide initial funding support to
innovative and collaborative efforts to create ESL programming that results in both a marked
improvement of English language proficiency among participants and the successful delivery of
innovative research-based methodologies that improve access and participation among diverse
communities of immigrants with Limited English Proficiency.
Program Focus
Based on current best practices in the field of ESL delivery, the Adult ESL for New Americans grant
initiative seeks to fund applications that focus on the creation of innovative delivery of ESL
programming that improves outcomes for learners though one or more of the following components:
o Creative learning platforms;
o Flexible, Self-paced learning;
o Integrated ESL and skill-based learning;
o Collaborative service delivery, creating innovative partnerships to improve service
delivery and participant outcomes;

3. 3
o TOEFL-track for individuals on a professional licensing or higher education pathway OR
Vocational ESL (VESL) curriculum offered;
o Access to ESL education for immigrants that may be illiterate in their native language;
o Focus on providing ESL services to geographic areas with high concentration of
immigrants, who have been previously under-served by traditional ESL programming
Addressing Key Challenges: Many traditional ESL programs are delivered in a one-size-fits-all classroom-
based learning approach, however current research bears out that many LEP individuals are not being
effectively served by this model due to several key factors, which include but are not limited to:
o Lack of access to regular transportation to classes
o Classes being offered primarily during traditional working hours
o Lack of access to free or low-cost quality childcare during instruction times
o Lack of classes that target need area of Vocational English as a Second Language
(VESL) for otherwise work-ready LEP individuals
o Lack of free or low-cost ESL classes that prepare individuals for the TOEFL exam, which
is required for some professional licenses and most higher education institutions
MONA will not consider proposals that do not address one or more of the above challenges.
Applications that seek to fund only existing ESL programming and do not include active
collaborative partner organizations (include non-affiliated community-based organizations) will
not be considered.
Selection Criteria
MONA is offering immigrant-serving groups and nonprofit organizations in Michigan (including those
not traditionally included in the provision of ESL programming) the opportunity to apply for grant
funding. Proposals should be made by collaborations and not by individual organizations.
Collaborations should be diverse in their organizational makeup but must partner with at least one
501(c)3 organization that is willing to serve as the group’s fiduciary for grant funds. In evaluating each
application received before the closing date, funding decisions will be made based on the following
criteria. Priority consideration will be given to programs that address the areas of program focus
included above as well as meeting the following:
 All applicant organizations will be active participants in the proposed collaborative.
 Proposals must focus on the development of new and innovative delivery of ESL programming
—applications that seek funding only for existing ESL programming will not be considered.
 Programming that can be launched quickly and provide quantitative data on performance
of participating individuals within the short grant period—Those that cannot measure
their proposed metrics within the grant period will not be considered.
For consideration by the Selection Committee, each application must include the following
information:
Basic Selection Criteria for Grant Awards
o Proposals must reflect collaboration with smaller, community-based, non-affiliated ethnic
organizations. Only one application should be submitted for all participating
organizations. Application must identify a lead organization to serve as fiduciary for the
full amount of the award. Fiduciary must be a 501(c)3 organization in good standing.

4. 4
o Must clearly identify innovative elements of proposed program, which address the above
mentioned barriers. Please include any available references to external research, if
applicable.
o Must provide proposed ESL curriculum (preference will be given to TOEFL-track or
VESL programming).
o Must provide one proposed budget for entire grant request.[NOTE: Grant monies must not be
spent on organizational overheads or administration costs outside of ESL staff salaries].
o Must detail methodology for program evaluation, providing quarterly reporting that
includes data on pre-course, mid-course, and post-course language acquisition of all
participants.
Additional Selection Criteria
o Evening and weekend class times offered—preference will be given to those that
address additional barriers of transportation and childcare.
o Applications must clearly indicate the geographic region it will cover, including the
proposed location of service delivery. Rationale for location should include any
available and relevant data on the population of immigrants to be served.
o Must identify minimum requirements for ESL instructors, if applicable. For programs
utilizing classroom-based learning, preference will be given for instructors with
TESOL Certification and/or native English speakers who are bilingual.
o Applications should address methodology for service provision to participants who
are illiterate in their native language, if applicable.
Amount of Funding
Awarding of ESL for New Americans grants will be based on the total funds available. The maximum
award will be $50,000 to support ESL activities. MONA reserves the right to accept or reject any
proposals submitted and to negotiate with all qualified applicants.
Limitations on Funding
MONA will not support the followingactivities:
 Organizational overhead or administration costs, with the exception of ESL staff salaries
 Projects that include religious instruction
 Political parties or political action committees
 Non Michigan-based organizations
 Projects that directly benefit an individual
 Loans
 Capital campaigns and building projects
 Capital goods
Proposed Grant Timeline
Application Deadline: November 11, 2016
Grantees Announced: Early December 2016
Program Launch: January 2017

5. 5
First Grant Report Due: May 2017
Second Grant Report Due: August 2017
Third Grant Report Due: November 2017
Grant Period Ends: December 31, 2017
Final Grant Report Due: January 2018
How to Apply
Applications must include:
1. Cover sheet (page 5) by email and postal mail, with original signatures.
2. Narrative of 3-5 pages by email and postal mail (Narrative instructions are on page 6)
3. Project Budget (page 7) by email and postal mail
4. Attachments (as listed on page 6) by email and postal mail
Applications will NOT be considered by MONA if these requirements are not met.
Documents sent by email should be directed to Annie Fenton at fentona@michigan.gov.
Applications sent by email must be received by 5:00pm on Friday, November 11, 2016.
Documents submitted by mail should be postmarked by Thursday, November 10 (Due to the holiday),
2016 and sent to Annie Fenton at:
Annie Fenton
MONA
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
3026 W Grand Blvd, Ste 2-750
Detroit, MI 48202
Applicants may also choose to drop off their application, instead of mailing it, at the address
above.
Review Process
Each application will be reviewed for minimum qualifications by MONA staff and qualifying proposals will
be considered for approval by a selection committee. All applicants will be notified by mail of decisions by
early December. The grant period is a partial year, ending December 31, 2017.
For additional information, or if you have further questions, please contact Annie Fenton at
fentona@michigan.gov or 313-498-8825. You can also find additional information about MONA at our
website at www.michigan.gov/mona.

6. 6
Adult ESL for New Americans
Grant Initiative
Cover Page
Date:
Names of Participating Partner Organizations:
Name of Fiduciary Organization:
Address:
Preferred Mailing Address (if different):
City/State/Zip:
Phone Number: Website:
Fax Number: Email:
Name of person submitting this application/primary contact person:
Fiduciary Organization’s Federal Employee Identification Number:
Purpose of grant (one sentence):
Targeted Ethnic Communities to be served:
Amount requested: Total Project Cost:
Geographic Service Area:
Signature of Fiduciary Applicant Title
Date

7. 7
Narrative:
Please provide the following information in this order. Use these headings, subheadings, and
number provided in your own word processing format, thus leaving flexibility for length of response.
The narrative should be a maximum of 3-5 pages.
A. Organization Information
Please complete for all organizations within your collaborative
1. What is the purpose of the organization and what are the primary services?
2. What affiliation, if any, does the organization have with religious groups (if none, state
“NONE”)
B. Project Information
Please address the listed selection criteria included below (also on pages 2-3 above), while
answering the following:
1. What program are you asking MONA to fund?
2. Who will be served, including 1) total number served and 2) age range?
3. Describe the target population and geographic area of service delivery and explain
your method for reaching that population.
4. What need(s) will your project address?
5. What will be accomplished?
6. What is the timetable for the implementation of the project? Will the project continue
beyond 2017, if so, explain.
7. How do you plan to publicize/promote your project?
8. How will you evaluate the outcomes of your project?
Basic Selection Criteria for Grant Award
o Must submit one collaborative application for all participating organizations. Application
must identify a lead organization to serve as fiduciary full amount of the award. Fiduciary must
be a 501(c)3 organization in good standing.
o Must clearly identify innovative elements of proposed program, which address the above
mentioned barriers. Please include any available references to external research, if applicable.
o Must provide proposed ESL curriculum (preference will be given to TOEFL-track or VESL
programming).
o Must provide one proposed budget for entire grant request. [NOTE: Grant monies must not be
spent on organizational overheads or administration costs outside of ESL staff salaries].
o Must detail methodology for program evaluation, providing quarterly reporting that
includes data on pre-course, mid-course, and post-course language acquisition of all
participants.
Additional Selection Criteria
o Collaboration preferred with smaller, community-based, non-affiliated ethnic
organizations
o Evening and weekend class times offered—preference will be given to those that
address additional barriers of transportation and childcare.

8. 8
o Applications must clearly indicate the geographic region it will cover, including the
proposed location of service delivery. Rationale for location should include any available
and relevant data on the population of immigrants to be served.
o Must identify minimum requirements for ESL instructors, if applicable. For programs
utilizing classroom-based learning, preference will be given for instructors with TESOL
Certification and/or native English speakers who are bilingual.
o Applications should address methodology for service provision to participants who
are illiterate in their native language, if applicable.
C. Project Budget
1. If the total project budget is greater than the amount requested, from what sources
will the other necessary funds be obtained, and what funds have been raised to
date?
2. What, if any, existing or match funds would be available to support this project?
3. What, if any, financial resources will be available for the continuation of this project
after the grant from MONA has ended?
Attachments:
1. A signed letter of participation by EACH organization included in the collaborative
application.
Please provide the following for the fiduciary organization ONLY:
2. List of the organization’s governing body and officers
3. A copy of the organization’s IRS nonprofit determination letter, if applicable
4. A copy of the organization’s current operating budget
5. A copy of the most recent annual report or promotional brochure (if available)
6. A copy of an audited financial report or most recent IRS 990 Form (if available)
Also include any of the following information not already included in your narrative that you
would like the selection committee to consider:
 Proposed curriculum information, including any examples of successful delivery by
other organizations.
 Demographic information or key data relating to the targeted geographic location—
including data on target immigrant communities to be served.

9. 9
Project Budget:
A. Organizational Fiscal Year:
B. Time period this budget covers:
C. Expenses: Fill in only those line items that are relevant to the project
Amount requested
from this grant
Amount of
existing or
match funds
Total project
expenses
Salaries
Fringe benefits
Curriculum/Technology
Fees
Program Supplies
Evaluation
Other (please specify)
Total
D. Revenue: Please list all other sources of revenue/income for this project and whether the
funds are already committed or pending.

10. 10
Innovative ESL Trends Nationwide: An Overview of Best Practices
Introduction
This overview of innovative ESL trends nationwide was prepared with the goal of providing
examples of best practices for investment in innovative ESL programs. A total of eleven
programs from six states were evaluated through semi-structured interviews and internet
research. Examples of innovative programs, focusing on vocational skills or incorporating
software, are detailed below. A program was considered strong if it had a higher retention rate,
showed language skill development through pre and post assessment, and provided innovative
methods for language acquisition.
Best Practices: Vocational and Software-based Programs
Hotel T.E.A.C.H.
Hotel T.E.A.C.H. is a curriculum developed by LaGuardia Community College with Sheraton
Manhattan Hotel in New York. The Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor
(President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative). The curriculum covers low intermediate ESL,
high intermediate ESL, and advanced ESL literacy. Its target audience is immigrants who are, or
plan to, work in a hotel. Each unit (8 total) in the curriculum develops different skills and has
several different sets of focus which are developed simultaneously. English language skills, soft
skills, and technology skills are further broken down into: major EFF (equipped for the future)
skills, hospitality industry skills, language focus, career counseling focus, and technology focus.
Each unit also has an audio component.
Cell-Ed
Cell-Ed is a New York program which offers ESL courses and Spanish literacy courses to
anyone with a phone with texting capabilities. The cost of the program is $50 per course, or $10
per micro-course. Besides fees, additional funding for the program comes from foundation grants
(i.e. Disney Foundation Grant) and ESOL funding from the state of New York. The program is
available 24/7 and tailored to the individual student. 75% completed the course, and students
leaped 2 years in 4 months in English capabilities. Courses offered are: English on the Go,
Literacy on the Go, and Citizenship on the Go. There are a minimum of 60 students in a cohort
each quarter. There is pre and post program assessment of the students.
The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians
The center offers services for students from preliterate to professional levels of English in
Pennsylvania. ESL is contextualized with each level focusing on work life and social skills. The
Welcoming Center acts as an umbrella for various other courses such as the RN Program, the

11. 11
Welcome Back Initiative, Professional Writing Course, and the Health Train Initiative. The
center used Title 1 and Title 2 funds to expand the program to ESL at every level and offer GED
programs. The RN program offered by the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians is free of
charge to foreign-trained nurses in Pennsylvania. The program provides individualized career
pathways, NCLEX test prep, TOELF test prep courses and workshops.
Metrics and Conclusion
Strong programs typically offered pre and post assessment of the ELL’s language skills. The
U.S. Department of Education’s Companion Learning Resources (CLR) suggests that ESL
programs provide rigorous instruction that move beyond simple life skills to teach critical
thinking & academic language listening and reading strategies; teach basic computer skills
alongside language instruction; and integrate basic skills with occupational skills to focus on
middle-skill jobs that do not require a 4-year degree. The CLR suggests that ESL programs work
with local businesses, and also provides more detailed instructions for ESL teachers. The
National Skills & Credential Institute highlights several programs described above and also
suggests that ESL programs be contextualized (for example, occupational skills taught alongside
language skills match jobs available in that region).
Sources
Cell-Ed http://www.cell-ed.com/faq/
Companion Learning Resources https://lincs.ed.gov/professional-development/resource-
collections/profile-908
Hotel T.E.A.C.H. Project Curriculum http://www.laguardia.edu/ciet/work_HT_Cur.html
Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians http://welcomingcenter.org/